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At Coors Field, public address announcer Alan Roach is a bit of an institution. Now, Roach is stepping down from the job after 14-years with the Colorado Rockies to spend more time with his family. As a sports personality on KOA radio in Denver, he will continue as an announcer at Colorado Avalanche games. As reported by the AP:

Roach never even knew he wanted to be a public-address announcer. He was working in radio in Colorado Springs in 1990 and was invited to a Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox game. He was in the booth with a Sky Sox official and said if the team ever needed someone to fill in, he'd gladly give it a try. The team took him up on his offer a week later and he was so good the other person never got his job back.

Denny Matthews, who has done radio for the Kansas City Royals for 38 seasons, is the recipiant of this year's Ford C. Frick award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Matthews will receive the award in ceremonies on July 29 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown, N.Y.

A 20-member electorate, comprised of the 14 living Frick Award recipients and six historians/columnists, selected Matthews from a group of 10 finalists, which included three broadcasters chosen by an online vote of fans _ Ken Harrelson (Chicago White Sox), Bill King (Oakland Athletics) and Joe Nuxhall (Cincinnati Reds). The other nominees were former players Dizzy Dean and Tony Kubek, radio legend Graham McNamee and play-by-play voices Tom Cheeks (Toronto Blue Jays), Franz Laux (St. Louis Browns) and Dave Niehaus (Seattle Mariners).

Matthews has been with the Royals since the franchise’s inception as an American League expansion club in 1969. He beat out more than 250 applicants for the No. 2 announcing position alongside veteran Bud Blattner and has been with the team ever since.

“Someone told me they were looking for broadcasters, and I was completely confident that I was the guy they were looking for, so I applied,” Matthews told the Kansas City Star. “When I found out I was one of 250 applicants, that was a little daunting. They got it narrowed down to three of us. Buddy Blattner was tabbed as the No. 1 choice, and they picked me as No. 2, and I was in.”

The long anticipated merger between XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio was announced today, with the deal being an equal shares agreement. The companies will be combined in a tax-free, all-stock merger of equals with a combined enterprise value of approximately $13 billion, which includes net debt of approximately $1.6 billion.

Under the terms of the agreement, XM shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 4.6 shares of SIRIUS common stock for each share of XM they own. XM and SIRIUS shareholders will each own approximately 50 percent of the combined company.

The combination creates a nationwide audio entertainment provider with combined 2006 revenues of approximately $1.5 billion based on analysts' consensus estimates. Today the companies have approximately 14 million combined subscribers. Together, SIRIUS and XM will create a stronger platform for future innovation within the audio entertainment industry and will provide significant benefits to all constituencies, including:

Greater Programming and Content Choices -- The combined company is committed to consumer choice, including offering consumers the ability to pick and choose the channels and content they want on a more a la carte basis. The combined company will also provide consumers with a broader selection of content, including a wide range of commercial-free music channels, exclusive and non-exclusive sports coverage, news, talk, and entertainment programming. Together, XM and SIRIUS will be able to improve on products such as real-time traffic and rear-seat video and introduce new ones such as advanced data services including enhanced traffic, weather and infotainment offerings.

Accelerated Technological Innovation -- The merger will enable the combined company to develop and introduce a wider range of lower cost, easy-to-use, and multi-functional devices through efficiencies in chip set and radio design and procurement. Such innovation is essential to remaining competitive in the consumer electronics-driven world of audio entertainment.

Benefits to OEM and Retail Partners -- The combined company will offer automakers and retailers the opportunity to provide a broader content offering to their customers. Consumer electronics retailers, including Best Buy, Circuit City, RadioShack, Wal-Mart and others, will benefit from enhanced product offerings that should allow satellite radio to compete more effectively.

Enhanced Financial Performance -- This transaction will enhance the long-term financial success of satellite radio by allowing the combined company to better manage its costs through sales and marketing and subscriber acquisition efficiencies, satellite fleet synergies, combined R&D and other benefits from economies of scale. Wall Street equity analysts have published estimates of the present value of cost synergies ranging from $3 billion to $7 billion.

More Competitive Audio Entertainment Provider -- The combination of an enhanced programming lineup with improved technology, distribution and financials will better position satellite radio to compete for consumers' attention and entertainment dollars against a host of products and services in the highly competitive and rapidly evolving audio entertainment marketplace. In addition to existing competition from free "over-the-air" AM and FM radio as well as iPods and mobile phone streaming, satellite radio will face new challenges from the rapid growth of HD Radio, Internet radio and next generation wireless technologies.

Combining Sirius and XM would result in a single satellite radio operator with more than 13 million total subscribers. A deal would also marry Sirius content, such as Howard Stern, Frank Sinatra and Nascar with XM's Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan and Major League Baseball. As reported by the NY Post:

In a note on Friday, Bear Stearns analyst Robert Peck speculated that Sirius and XM needed to move quickly before their window of opportunity closed.

Gaining regulatory approval "could take up to 15 months; hence, we think any proposed deal needs to be announced by the end of March to close by mid-2008," Peck wrote.

On April 20, 1957, WTIC 1080 carried its first game on the Boston Red Sox radio network. Fifty years later, that relationship is still going strong and will continue in 2007.

The station, based in Farmington , Connecticut , joined with the Red Sox and Entercom Communications today to announce a multi-year deal that continues the partnership that began 50 years ago. No further terms of the deal were disclosed.

WTIC, a 50,000-watt CBS RADIO owned station, has carried Red Sox baseball longer than any other network affiliate. It will broadcast all 162 regular season games in 2007, providing fans in the Greater Hartford area and throughout Central Connecticut with comprehensive Red Sox coverage.

In addition, WTIC will carry an exclusive Red Sox Insiders Show every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. Sponsored by F.W. Webb and hosted by new team radio broadcaster Glenn Geffner, the program will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Sox. WTIC will also continue to do its popular live remotes from the Green Monster at select Red Sox games.

Brian Borawski of The Hardball Times has a great interview with broadcasting legend Ernie Harwell. Today (Weds.) Brian publishes Part One of his interview:

BB: Here in Detroit and up until 2006, Mike Ilitch had almost become kind of a goat because the Tigers hadn’t done well in several years. I’d hear people throw around opinions like he cared more about his hockey team then he did his baseball. I don’t think that was necessarily true, but how was working with him and how passionate was he about the Tigers?

EH: I thought he had a passion for the Tigers. I think he admits that he’s got more passion for baseball than he did for hockey. It just happened that with hockey the team was able to turn things around a little quicker but you know, they were in bad straits too when he took them over. You couldn’t give away tickets. Jim Price used to tell me that he and a couple of guys would put tickets under the windshield wipers of cars in parking lots. But with baseball it just took a little longer but I think he still had the passion and he had the idea that sooner or later it would happen. And now it has happened. And that’s terrific!

The Washington Nationals yesterday named Bonneville International Corporation as its radio partner for the 2007 baseball season. For the second straight season, all 162 regular-season games, as well as at least 10 Spring Training contests, will be heard on Washington Post Radio (WTWP), which transmits on 107.7-FM and AM-1500.

The agreement also calls for an extensive post-game show and weekly Nationals programming. Details for both shows will be determined at a later date.

The partnership between the Nationals and Bonneville, which enters its third season, affords the club exposure on WTWP, and its sister station WTOP, when significant Nationals news and updates warrant.

The Nationals’ radio team of Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler return for a second consecutive season in 2007. Slowes has been with the Nationals since the club’s inaugural campaign, while Jageler enters his second season.

“The strength of Washington Post Radio’s combined signals at 1500 AM and 107.7 FM deliver the best radio outlet for the team and its fans to follow the play-by-play action all season long,” said Nationals President Stan Kasten. “With this agreement, Nationals coverage is extended with the addition of a post-game call-in show, and a weekly Nationals magazine-style feature program.”

Bonneville DC Senior V.P. Joel Oxley added “we’re happy to announce the continuation of our successful partnership between Washington Post Radio and the Washington Nationals. With the new ownership, and Manny Acta on board as the new manager, the future prospects for the team are bright and we couldn’t be happier to be a part of it.”

Bonneville International is a media company with radio, television, satellite, and advertising properties in Chicago , Phoenix , San Francisco , Washington , D.C., St. Louis , and Salt Lake City . The company is widely known as a values-driven leader in the broadcasting industry and for its long-time commitment to serving the communities where it broadcasts.

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Athletics and 106.9 FREE FM (KIFR) have agreed to terms on a three-year contract for the San Francisco-based, CBS-owned station to serve as the club’s FM radio flagship through the 2009 season.

KYCY 1550 AM will also carry all A’s games, making the A’s the third team in Major League Baseball to utilize stations on both the FM and AM bands, following the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals.

“The addition of 106.9 FREE FM as a radio broadcast partner of the Oakland A’s will provide our fans throughout the Bay Area with a clear and consistent signal in which to listen to our games,” said Ken Pries, A’s Vice President of Broadcasting & Communications. “We are pleased to have a presence on both bands.”

106.9 FREE FM VP/General Manager Steve DiNardo commented "There are a lot of ingredients you can put together to win in radio ... the A’s are at the top of that list. 106.9 FREE FM is very excited to add the Bay Area’s most successful baseball team to our already talented lineup. We look forward to providing A’s Fans throughout the Bay Area with winning coverage of their favorite team”.

KIFR-FM is owned and operated by CBS RADIO, one of the largest major-market radio operators in the United States. A division of CBS Corporation, CBS RADIO operates 179 radio stations, the majority of which are in the nation’s top 50 markets. CBS RADIO also owns and operates owns KLLC-FM (Alice @ 97.3), KCBS-AM, KFRC-FM, KITS (Live 105), KYCY-AM (KYOU Radio), KPIX-TV and KBHK-TV in the Bay Area.

The Athletics radio broadcast team consists of play-by-play announcers Ken Korach and Vince Cotroneo with the addition of Ray Fosse, who will serve as an analyst for non-televised games. Robert Buan also returns for his eighth season hosting the team’s “Extra Innings” post-game talk show.

As reported on Thursday, NEWSRADIO 910 WSBA in York, Pennsylvania reached a three-year partnership to air the complete schedule of York Revolution games. The Revolution is a new team in the independent Atlantic League for which Orioles Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson is a special assistant. With that, the Baltimore Orioles lost a radio affiliate of 20 years, in an important secondary market.

The Orioles were notified of WSBA's decision while negotiating a one-year deal that ended at the end of this season.

As reported:

"We had a great relationship with SBA over the years and we certainly understand this is a business decision," Orioles spokesman Bill Stetka said yesterday. "We expect to have an announcement on another affiliate in York within a few days."

Stetka said the team is "dotting the I's and crossing the T's" on the new deal and that it was premature to provide details.

Todd Toerper, a market manager for Cumulus Media, WSBA's parent company, said the Revolution "made a very compelling presentation to us" and that he believed the new team's arrival would be good economically for the community and the station. "It was a very challenging decision. After a 20-year relationship, you just don't end those things on a whim," Toerper said.

The York Revolution Baseball Club --part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball -- and NEWSRADIO 910 WSBA in York have reached a three-year partnership to air the complete schedule of York Revolution games, making WSBA the "Official Broadcast Home of York Revolution Baseball." The agreement was announced at a press conference on Wednesday morning by Revolution General Manager Matt O'Brien and Cumulus Media Market Manager Todd Toerper.

"We are absolutely thrilled to enter into this partnership with WSBA," said O'Brien. "We are proud that our fans will be able to listen to all games for York's new baseball team on a station this is so entrenched in the community. It has become clear through our conversations that the Revolution and WSBA share common goals, and we can't wait to begin working together to achieve them."

As part of the agreement, NEWSRADIO 910 WSBA - a Cumulus Media station - will broadcast all York Revolution home and road games during the 2007, 2008 and 2009 seasons. With a few possible exceptions, games will be broadcast LIVE and in their entirety. There will also be a 60-minute pre-game show prior to most games, which will include in-depth features, player interviews, a manager's report and game recaps. Portions of the pre-game show for games at Sovereign Bank Stadium will be held outside of the stadium and include fan participation. A ten-minute post-game show will follow the game and previous game highlights will be broadcast during the WSBA Morning Show. Internet broadcasts, of which details will be announced at a later date, will also be made available for fans worldwide.

"Since 1942, WSBA has been leading the way in York, reflecting the spirit of the community. This Revolution is a rallying point as York steps into the future," said Toerper. "Pitch by pitch, NEWSRADIO 910 WSBA will bring the people of our community the play-by-play of this Revolution."

The partnership also involves promotional consideration for the Revolution on local Cumulus Media stations - including WSBA, WARM 103 and 96.1 WSOX. Cumulus Media will receive promotional value at Sovereign Bank Stadium including signage, video board and giveaway sponsorship, season tickets, print advertising and use of the ballpark's upper level party suites.

The York Revolution and WSBA will begin working together immediately to identify candidates for the play-by-play announcing position. All game broadcasts will be produced from the WSBA studio.

"Given the reach, listenership and professionalism of WSBA, I can confidently say that this will be one of the strongest minor league baseball broadcast relationships in the country," said O'Brien.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The Augusta GreenJackets announced Wednesday that they have reached a flagship radio agreement with WRDW-AM 1630 to broadcast a complete 140-game schedule of live play-by-play coverage for the 2007 and 2008 South Atlantic League seasons. The games will also be streamed live on the club's website: www.greenjacketsbaseball.com.

This marks the first time in five years that the GreenJackets have had a complete schedule of live radio play-by-play coverage. The decision comes just weeks after Augusta completed a landmark 2006 season, which included a franchise best 92-47 record, a South Atlantic Southern Division title and the second-best attendance increase in all of Minor League Baseball under the new ownership of Ripken Baseball.

"Building a full radio broadcast schedule for our games is another big step for the GreenJackets organization and Ripken Baseball," said GreenJackets General Manager Nick Brown. "We are always looking for new ways to entertain and inform our fans, and now we can do this through the radio and the internet."

"We're excited to grow our relationship with the GreenJackets by once again broadcasting the games on News/Talk/Sports WRDW-AM," added Kent Dunn, General Manager of Beasley Broadcasting. "This season will help solidify our local sports commitment on WRDW and prove to be a great asset for GreenJacket fans."